Vibrator



` sept. 26, 195o L. C. ZERKLE VIBRATOR Filed Jn. 24, 1947 w65 l qA.

I- LWRENLE C. ZERKLE A 6 @azz @JW/Www Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VnsnAToR Lawrence C. Zerkle, Cleveland, h0

Application January 24, 1947, Serial No. 723,938

` ilolaim. (ci. 12s-24.5)

This invention relates to a vibrating `device adapted to be applied manually against the human body to stimulate circulation, loosen congested areas or otherwise alleviate conditions.

An object of the invention is to provide such a device in a simple and eiiicientform to which may be readily driven and which may be conveniently. manipulated in use. Another object is to so form the device that it may beused directly against the human body or may have attachments applied to it for treatment of special parts of the body.

My vibrator is illustrated in the drawings hereof and is hereinafter fully described and the essential novel features are summarized in the claim. d

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a section-al side elevation of the vibrator; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on a smaller scale, in a plane indicated by the line 2 2 on Fig. 1 and showing the application to the sole of a patients foot; Fig. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic View of a casing containing a driving motor and carrying a `laterally extending flexible shaft for operating the vibrator; and Fig. 4 is a diagram of a low frequency apparatus for `applying current to the patients body, at the same time that vibration cup, the bearing being preferably closed from` the exterior by a plate 22 secured by screws to the end wall of the cup. At the other end of the chamber of the cup is a b all bearing 23 with its inner raceway on the shaft and the outer raceway seated in a recess in the head I| of the handle.

Mounted on the shaft within the hollow cup is a weight 30 positioned between spacing sleeves 32 and 33 on the shaft between the inner races and a hub 3| of the weight which embraces the shaft and is keyed toit.

The extreme end of the shaft within the handle is provided with a notch 25 for engagement of the coupling on a driving shaft. The handle has an enlarged recess 26 in its end to receive the sleeve of this coupling.

It follows from the construction described that when a rotating driving member, as a flexible shaft, is attached to the vibrator shaft 20 the eccentric weight rotating within the cup gives a vibration to the cupitself. Accordingly, by placingthe cylindrical Wall of the cup directly against the body of the patient, or in contact with an intermediate member which contacts with the body, vibration is transmitted to the patient.

The operator may merely grasp the vibrator by the handle and press the cylindrical surface against the patient, as shown in Fig. 2, with a manual pressure varying with conditions and if desired may manipulate the trembling cup along the region to be treated. This is illustrated in Fig. 2 with reference to the sole of the patients foot.

I effect this by slipping onto the body of the .vibrator a cup-like lattachment 40, Fig. 4, having a hemispherical end 4|. In this case the hemispherical member is pressed directly against a small region of the body and the resultant vibration is directed to a certain specic area.

Any convenient means may be employed for rotating the shaft 20. `I prefer to couple to it a motor driven flexible driving shaft. Fig. 3 indicates at 50 a suitable wheeled cabinet containing a motor (conventionally indicated at 55), for operating the exible rotary member 5|, Fig. 1, within a flexible casing 52. The casing carries a cylindrical coupling member 53 about the end of the driving member 5|, the latter member having a tongue on its end adapted to engage a notch 25 in the shaft 20. Accordingly, when the coupling sleeve is inserted in the recess 26 in the end of the handle, the driving shaft 5| becomes coupled tothe vibrator shaft 20. There is suicient friction between the coupling sleeve 53 and the wall of the handle to hold the .parts in engagement, while allowing them to be separated whenever desired by a jerk on the coupling sleeve.

It is sometimes desirable to treat the patient with an electric current, preferably of low-frequency, passing through a portion of the body, at the same time that such region is submitted to vibration. My vibrator is well adapted for such use. In Fig. 4, and 6| indicates terminals of such ar circuit, connected by lines 62 and 63 with any suitable means for providing pulsating electric current of proper frequency, as indicated at 65.

With the terminal 60, for instance, on a table or support and the portion of the patients body to be treated, as indicated by the foot A, resting on such terminal, the other terminal 6| with the cylinder l2 of the vibrator applied thereto, may be held manually against an opposed region of the patients body, with the result that the patient receives at the same time a suitable pulsating electric current and the mechanical Vibration, which has been found very beneficial in certain cases. I prefer in this particular treatment to secure the vibrator to the terminal plate, as by a cloth-Wrapping 64 (moistened if desired) so that the vibrator and terminal'may be manipulated as a unit.

While I do not conne myself to any particular sizes or Weights or rotating speed in the vibrator, I may state that I have obtained very satisfactory results with a'vibrator wherein the external diameter of the cylindrical cup is about 3 in diameter; thev weight, about 3 oz. and the radius of rotation of the center of the weight, about 1; the speed of revolution of the shaft being about 1750 R. P. M.

It will be seen that my vibrator is very simple in construction and readily put in operation and that the rapidly rotating eccentric weight on the shaft mounted in ball bearings will vibrate the entire device, nearly noiselessly. It may be conveniently manipulated with variable pressure against the patients body as conditions indicate.

I claim:

The combination with a vibrator having a rotatable eccentrically mounted weight, of means 4 for submitting a portionof a patients body to low frequency current and to mechanical vibrations due to said Weight, comprising a source of low frequency current, an electrode adapted to be applied to said portion of the body and a second electrode spaced from the first electrode and adapted to be placed in contact with the body, said electrodes being each connected by direct wire connections to said source of low frequency current, means mounting said vibrator and its eccentric weight on one of said electrodes, and other means, independent of the source of low frequency current, for driving said eccentric weight.

LAWRENCE C. ZERKLE.

REFERENCES CITED y The following references are. of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,723,268 Conill Aug. 6, 1929 2,048,713 Schramm July 28, 1936 2,267,138 Scardamalia Dec. 23, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 416,762 Great Britain Sept. 20, 1934 480,842 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1938 

